Paramount Home Entertainment has given MT09 full details on a franchise-wide launch of new STAR TREK editions on both standard DVD and high-definition Blu-ray formats, arriving in stores this April and May to accompany J.J. Abrams' film debut.  Here are the five title announcements:

•STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES Season 1
(Remastered/Broadcast hybrid on Blu-ray)
•STAR TREK: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE COLLECTION
(ST I - VI widescreen on Blu-ray)
•STAR TREK: MOTION PICTURE TRILOGY
(ST II, III, IV widescreen on Blu-ray and DVD)
•BEST OF STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES
(Four Remastered episodes on standard DVD)
•BEST OF STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
(Four TNG episodes on standard DVD)

Click the links above to jump down to specific title analysis, otherwise I'll start with a closer look at TOS-R Season 1 on Blu-ray:

Perhaps the most welcome news is that PHE is resuming their high-def distribution of STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES - REMASTERED in Blu-ray format, a process which was stutter-stepped into hiatus when TOS-R first appeared on the defunct HD-DVD format.  Shortly after that Season 1 release, the high-def format wars ended with Blu-ray the victor and Paramount's months-earlier deal with Toshiba to release their titles exclusively in HD-DVD backfired drastically. TOS-R Seasons 2 and 3 were only released in standard DVD sets, and then no further word from Paramount/CBS until last months' rumors.

Now PHE confirms with box set details and glorious hi-res artwork that TOS-R will indeed live on in HD via Blu-ray technology!  Here are the Season 1 specs:

STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES SEASON 1 - BLU-RAY

• Street date: April 28, 2009
• Runtime: 24 hrs 20 mins
• 7 Blu-ray discs
• 29 Season 1 episodes in original 4:3 aspect ratio
• English 7.1 DTS-Master Audio
• English, French, Spanish 2.0 mono audio
• English/English SDH, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese subtitles
• Seamless branching technology allows episode viewing in either Remastered or Broadcast versions without disc flipping
• Suggested retail price: $118.00 US

TrekMovie reports more details on the special features, which largely replicate those found on the 2007 HD-DVD hybrid set of Season 1, including Starfleet Access commands which engage pop-up trivia and picture-in-picture video commentaries during episodes.  Special features appear on each disc, with episode Preview Trailers being the bare minimum on disc two, otherwise two or three features accompany discs. 

Season 1 features classic, fan-favorite episodes like: Where No Man Has Gone Before, Mudd's Women, The Corbomite Maneuver, The Menagerie Parts 1 & 2, Balance of Terror, Arena, Space Seed, The City on the Edge of Forever plus 19 others.  While confirmation from PHE is pending, STAR TREK: TOS Seasons 2 and 3 are expected to arrive in late Summer or Fall 2009.

STAR TREK ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE COLECTION - BLU-RAY

• Street date: May 12, 2009
• Runtime: 11 hrs 25 mins
• 7 Blu-ray discs in 1080p high-definition image
• 6 HD transfers of theatrical versions for ST I through VI
• Special HD restoration of THE WRATH OF KHAN feature film
• New HD-produced bonus disc: The Captains' Summit
• English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD audio
• 5.1 Dolby Digital, 2.0 Dolby Digital, 2.0 Dolby Surround, 2.0 Surround, Mono
• English/English SDH, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese subtitles
• Multiple commentary tracks by filmmakers, cast and crew
• Multiple new HD special features produced exclusively for Blu-ray
• Exclusive BD-Live special features with compatible players
• Theatrical Trailers in HD
• Numerous standard definition bonus features (previously released on DVD)
• Hidden Easter Eggs
• Tribute to Ricardo Montalban
• Suggested retail price: $104.99 US

This massive six-film collection looks like an exhaustive effort by Paramount to make this seven-disc Blu-ray set enticing to TREK fans who want to take the feature franchise into the high-def era. 

While some may question the choice of transferring the theatrical releases of these six TOS-cast features — with the Director's Cuts of ST: THE MOTION PICTURE and THE WRATH OF KHAN getting such high praise from fans — such editions may get separate releases in the future.  That each film gets several new HD-produced bonus features in addition of previously-released DVD specials certainly avoids the stigma of a 'bare bones' Blu-ray upgrade, and the all-new seventh disc The Captains' Summit also sounds promising as an exclusive added incentive to go with this Blu box set.

STAR TREK MOTION PICTURE TRILOGY - BLU-RAY & DVD

• Street date: May 12, 2009
• Runtime: 5 hrs 36 mins
• 3 Blu-ray discs in 1080p high-definition image
• HD transfers of theatrical versions for ST II through IV
• Special HD restoration of THE WRATH OF KHAN feature film on BD only
• English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, 2.0 Dolby Surround, Mono audio tracks
• English/English SDH, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese subtitles
• Commentary tracks by filmmakers, cast and crew
• All new HD special features included in six-film Blu-ray set above
• Exclusive BD-Live special features with compatible players
• Theatrical Trailers in HD
• Hidden Easter Eggs
• Standard DVD set includes selected bonus features only
• Tribute to Ricardo Montalban
• Suggested retail price: BD $48.99 US, DVD $28.99 US

Besides limited this box set to only STAR TREK II - IV, the main difference in this pared down collection occurs in the bonus features available: the Blu-ray edition features all of the new HD special material created for the six-film collection above, but none of the previously-released bonuses from prior DVD editions; conversely the standard-def DVD edition gets a limited selection of bonus features one commentary track for each film and assorted featurettes.  Still, either option is a good entry-level box set for viewers and fans new to the TREK franchise who seek "the best of" films featuring the TOS cast at an affordable cost.

THE BEST OF STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES - DVD

• Street date: May 12, 2009
• Runtime: 3 hrs 21 mins
• 1 standard definition DVD disc
• 4 Remastered episodes in original 4:3 aspect ratio
  • The City on the Edge of Forever
  • The Trouble with Tribbles
  • Balance of Terror
  • Amok Time
• English Dolby 5.1, Spanish and Portuguese Mono audio
• English, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles
• Suggested retail price: $14.99 US

Speaking of starter sets for new fans, this BEST OF TOS collection is clearly geared to neophyte Trekkers attracted to the franchise by J.J. Abrams' summer blockbuster, as the DVD back cover art suggests: "Continue the excitement of the STAR TREK experience with four of the very best episodes of the series that started it all!  You've met Kirk and Spock as young men on the big screen, now join them on their later journeys to the planet Vulcan, travel with them through time, and take witness as they face off in a battle to save their friendship and their very lives."  Priced to entire new viewers of the classic TREK series specifically in terms of this summer's STAR TREK feature film, these Remastered-only episodes present the best of what Kirk and Spock offer in their "later" adventures aboard the starship Enterprise.

THE BEST OF STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - DVD

• Street date: May 12, 2009
• Runtime: 3 hrs 1 min
• 1 standard definition DVD disc
• 4 episodes in original 4:3 aspect ratio
  • The Best of Both Worlds (Part I)
  • The Best of Both Worlds (Part II)
  • Yesterday's Enterprise
  • The Measure of a Man
• English Dolby 5.1, Spanish and Portuguese Mono audio
• English, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles
• Seamless branching technology allows episode viewing in either Remastered or Broadcast versions without disc flipping
• Suggested retail price: $14.99 US

If newly-minted Trekkers want to continue their education in the televised franchise, this BEST OF TNG quadrilogy gives them a taste of THE NEXT GENERATION at its boldest with Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Will Riker piloting the Enterprise-D through the galaxy. Quoted from the DVD back cover art: "The excitement of STAR TREK continues with the series STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION.  Join the action with Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Cmdr. Will Riker and the crew of the Enterprise-D, as they explore the outer reaches of the galaxy and get swept away by the incredible stories that made STAR TREK a phenomenon."  True enough, the episode selection is first-rate, showing off the main characters of the series while sampling TNG's unique creations including the relentless Borg enemy and the android dilemmas of Data — another excellent TREK starter set.

MISSION: TREK 2009 will be following developments on these and future STAR TREK Blu-ray/DVD releases, so keep this channel open for more updates and reviews when these sets are released!   Thanks to Paramount Home Entertainment for the artwork and edition details.